British Numbered Sword Bayonet

[Dbackfed29]

Recently acquired Confederate numbered sword bayonet (#657) for the British p56 rifle or p53 artillery carbine. The blade has the stamp of Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Cie (WKC) of Solingen, Prussia. 1,500 artillery carbines were brought in early, along with several thousand rifles of various patterns to fill the balance up to 10,000 total.
Numbered rifles and bayonets are especially rare.

 

[UCVRelics]

Very Nice addition to your collection Congrats. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[scooter748driver]

Nice addition!

 

[Old Soldier]

That engraved number looks very similar to the numbers engraved on the Confederate 2nd Contract rifles and carbines. If it is, (BIG 'IF'), it is part of the first batch. and quite a rarity, since there were only about 1,500 artillery carbines in that batch.

 

[lelliott19]

@Dbackfed29 not to nit pick, but it looks like your beautiful bayonet might have a short slot? for a P1860 Enfield short rifle? Making it an even rarer one? I can't really tell from the picture you posted of the slot.

 

[Dbackfed29]

@Dbackfed29 not to nit pick, but it looks like your beautiful bayonet might have a short slot? for a P1860 Enfield short rifle? Making it an even rarer one? I can't really tell from the picture you posted of the slot.

Hello,

No worries on nitpicking. I am still grasping to the differences between the various British short rifle/carbines of their p56/58/60 series. On top of it, I accidentally left my copy of the English Connection with a friend across the country.

I can post additional pictures tonight.

 

[lelliott19]

I am still grasping to the differences between the various British short rifle/carbines

Me too. I am too uneducated to know for sure but @Lanyard Puller will be able to tell without even seeing any more pictures.

 

[Dbackfed29]

Took some additional pictures to help. It should go to the artillery carbine.

 

[Lanyard Puller]

Your bayonet is a new number on 3 different s/n lists:
FYI here are the nearest numbers I've got, and what they are stamped on;

#656. Saber bayonet, Pat. 56; type I, keyed mortice, Solingen blade
#660 is a P56 Fusil, Carr made; Georgia "G" (cut to carbine length)
Not a lot of help, but she sure sings Dixie.

 

[R. Porter]

So the 657 matches a rifle with that number and makes it Confederate? What is the significance of the number 25 and the number 8 stamped into the pommel?

 

[Lanyard Puller]

#657 was a NEW number for 4 different s/n lists. NO guns were listed with that number.
The 25 and 8 are assembly numbers, and of no relevance. It's a pretty safe bet it was CSA issued.